The Allocation of Educational Resources in the Face of Socioeconomic Factors in China

Abstract

China’s rapid economic development has led to significant improvements in its education system, contributing to a reduction in educational inequalities. However, this progress has been unevenly distributed, with a disproportionate focus on urban metropolitan areas, leaving rural regions underfunded and underserved. Despite efforts to universalize nine-year compulsory education, those disadvantaged students coming from rural areas or remote regions of China continue to face substantial challenges in comparison to their urban counterparts. Through time series analysis with Theil index model, it can be used to analyze and study the change of urban and rural income and its potential impact on education distribution. This paper highlights that the problems in allocation of educational resources between urban-rural area still exist. To address these disparities, several strategies could be implemented, including financial investment, developing aid-programs, and expanding educational facilities in rural areas. This research contributes to the broader literature on educational inequality in China, offering guidance for future investment strategies to address these persistent disparities.